RH Nuttall Ltd

We can almost guarantee you’ve heard of the phrase ‘elevator pitch’. If you’re heading to a networking event or need to produce some kind of presentation, people will tell you it’s a prerequisite.

But, what is an elevator pitch? Is it just more business speak that is best ignored, or can it provide real value?

Let’s cover that last question first: elevator pitches are incredibly useful. They cut through the jargon, dispense with waffle, and quickly get to the point of how you can help people with your product or service.

What is an elevator pitch, though?

It’s best to think of an elevator pitch as a super-simple summary of either yourself, a business, or a product.

That’s it. There are lots of opinions on the ideal length of an elevator pitch, but the general rule of thumb is that they shouldn’t last any longer than 30 seconds.

Elevator pitches should roll off the tongue and be incredibly easy to remember.

Here’s how to create yours.

1. Introduce yourself

Who are you?

This is the easy bit. Your name, position, and the event or reason for being where you are.

2. Summarise what you do

This is often much harder than you might think to condense into just a few words.

‘What you do’ in this context is a simple summary of your education, your work experience, and what you do each day to benefit your customers, staff or partners.

You may need to tailor this depending on where you’re intending to use your elevator pitch, but try to avoid any hyperbole or needless navel-gazing.

Here’s a great example:

“Hi, my name is Dave, great to meet you. I’m a marketing manager focused on ensuring content marketing strategies deliver a great return on investment. My degree in marketing and five years working for a leading marketing agency help me to gain customer trust.”

3. Explain what you’re after

You want something after this pitch – of course you do – but what is it?

It’s important to be honest and transparent in your elevator pitch, so don’t shy away from explaining exactly what it is you need.

Perhaps you want the opportunity to demonstrate your new product, or maybe you simply want to make some valuable connections. Whatever it is, know your objective beforehand, and be determined to achieve it – without being too pushy or annoying, obviously.

4. Always end with a simple call to action (CTA)

Miss this step, and your entire elevator pitch is practically rendered useless.

A CTA will explain what you want to happen next after you’ve finished speaking. If, for instance, you want your audience to grab your business card or head to a website to download your fancy new free guide, then point them in that direction.

Just remember to keep your call to action simple, easy to follow, and memorable.

Wrapping up

You’ll find so much use for your elevator pitch. It’s a great way to break the ice when engaging in conversations, and one of the best tools you’ll have for promoting yourself and your business.

Have fun writing your elevator pitch – you’ll call on it far more often than you think.